If you look at the dietary laws, the injunctions to monotheism, and the laws concerning sexuality and marriage it suggests that the prime concern was with providing the numbers to outcompete other nations, and I am using the word in its original meaning of an alliance of closely related tribes or clans. Israelite Nation, who are the people we have to thank for the Abrahamic religions, could see that it was a pure numbers game. If you could prevent food poisoning and other biological hazards and could also provide an extensive system of laws to adjudicate disputes without the need for violence within the tribes, then you could get everyone faced the same way. You had a growing population so that once the warriors killed the neighbours you could then quickly settle and colonise with the civilian contingent who could then produce more supplies for ever bigger military campaigns.

Might just as well show a dog a card trick.

As true as that is, one of the stories of that day is that there was a soldier that day extorting a blowjob from a terrified mother by holding a gun on her baby. The witness then went and got the commanding officer, Lt. Calley who came immediately and scolded the soldier for not following orders, which were to round up all these civilians and take them to a ditch for summary execution.

My source for said story is either Four Hours in My Lai or the American Experience Documentary I can’t remember which but they’re both worth a watch although obviously there’s a duplication of material.

Long live the new flesh.